2016 is a year that most would like to forget.
Elections, several untimely rock star deaths, earthquakes, Sept Qtr.
GDP, piss-pour governance, our cricket team’s woeful performance…the players were in need of counselling, just like the PriceWaterhouseCoopers staff.
Weekend Australian – December 3-4 2016
I, for one, cannot wait until this year is over and done with!
I could do with some counselling, too!
And just when all you want to do is schlep around for a few weeks, you have to get through Christmas.
This year, I am definitely a Scrooge.
So, instead of offering holiday good cheer, I thought it might be more practical to supply some relevant titbits of information.
These might come in handy if the conversation lulls too much over Christmas dinner, the outlaws are being painful (as usual), or as an excuse to continue misbehaving.
So, here goes.
1. Spending is only good for the economy if the recipient of the gift values the present more than it costs.
Given the time of the year, I will spare you the reasons why.
A recent study found that recipients of Christmas gifts value them about 20% less than they actually cost.
So Christmas is bad for the economy!
This adds a new meaning to your reply of, “Oh, you shouldn’t have” when you get the appalling maroon sweater or similar from the outlaws.
2. Alcohol lowers heart disease.
Old news, I know, but a recent study found that even drinking heavily is good for the old ticker.
So have another drink or three.
It is Christmas after all.
3. Being grumpy helps you think more clearly, make better decisions and makes you less gullible than those who are jolly.
See, being grumpy has enormous benefits.
Nothing wrong with being the Scrooge, someone has to make the decisions and not be conned by all those charlatans selling overpriced trinkets.
4. Low carb diets make you moody; putting on weight is beneficial as you age and eating slowly makes you feel full.
So if you are getting on in years, help yourself to more stuffing – you only live once and again, it is Christmas after all.
And apparently ice cream for breakfast makes you smarter, too.
I wonder if I double my breakfast ice cream intake, will I grow twice as smart.
I will experiment. Maybe you can, too?
5. Green spaces do us good.
That makes perfect sense, but the wilder the green space, the better.
People are in better health and feel less anxious if the grass is long and not mowed!
So you now know what to tell the boss about mowing the lawn over the break.
Explaining why you need to play a round or two of golf, however, might be a little trickier.
Buying her a present that she values more than it costs, might be a good start!
See, we always offer good advice.
Feel free to reverse the gender – I just am too pooped to give a toss about anyone’s sensitivities this late in this year.
But seriously, have a relaxing break.
End note
And yes, we love to complain about things, especially wages, electricity bills and most things about housing – but nearly three million people are living in poverty in Australia and, of that number, 731,000 are children.
Just stop and think about that for a minute – one in eight of us lives in poverty.
Last year the Salvation Army provided over 486,000 emergency relief sessions to more than 136,000 individuals.
These people live on less than $17 a day after paying for accommodation.
How much did you pay for coffee this week?
And do you feel safe at home?
Again, last year the Salvo’s helped more than 8,700 women and children to escape violence.
These statistics are startling.
Go here for more.
And this stuff is getting worse and on our watch.
For mine, it’s worth doing something about over Christmas – the season of goodwill.
Keen to hear your thoughts.
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